Machine for measuring distances and locating a ball on a playing field



Aug. 22, 1950 c. LE R. DARR MACHINE FOR MEASURING DISTANCES AND LOCATING A BALL ON A PLAYING FIELD 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 5, 1947 INVENTOR. clinl'on 121%;- Darr- Aug. 22, 1950 c. LE R. DARR MACHINE FOR MEASURING DISTANCES AND LOCATING A BALL ON A PLAYING FIELD 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 5, 1947 INVENTOR. CZin Z 017. lekoy vDamr Patented Aug. 22, 1950 MACHINE FOR MEASURING DISTANCES AND LOCATING A BALL ON A PLAYING FIELD Clinton Le Roy Darr, Vancouver, Wash.

Application May 3, 1947, Serial No. 745,883

chines for measuring distances and locating a ball on a playing field and for indicating the yardage between a given point and the location of a ball on a playing field, such for instance, as in a game of football where it becomes necessary to determine accurately the number of yards gained in a play or lost through failure ofa piay,-or penalties, or the like.

'One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a machine of this character which operates ona single track arranged parallel to the side line of a playing field and which will accurately indicate its distance of travel between any two points. The machine also includes means for indicating the number of downs accomplished and yards to go.

A further object is the provision of sighting means for spotting the ball on the field and means for moving the machine in accurate alignment with it. The amount of travel of the machine in either direction in its locating work is conspicuously indicated on two large dials byindicating pointers associated therewith.

These and other objects will appear as my invention is more fully hereinafter described in the following specification, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and finally pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

' Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine made in accordance with my invention and with "fragments broken away for convenience of illustration.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of Figure 1 with parts similarly broken away.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic lay-out of a fragment of a playing field and a plan view of the machine in full and dotted lines to indicate its movement relative to the length of the field.

Referrfing now more particularly to the drawings:

In Figures 1 and 2, reference numeral 1 indicates the chassis of the machine which is of box like formation and within which is housed a plurality of electric storage batteries 2 connected with an electric motor 3 through any approved type of switch 4 for actuating the same. The motor is of the reversible type and may drive the vehicle to the left or right as viewed in Figure 1 through the medium of the worm 5 and worm gear 6 connected with the axle or traction wheels 7. The other wheels 8 are idling wheels on fixed axles and the wheels are not steerable sothat the vehicle will at all times run in a straight line 2 Claims. (CI. 33-46) 2 J parallel to the field. To stabilize the vehicle in its direction of travel I provide a flanged wheel 9 engaged with the track I0 embedded in the ground below the surface of the field. The axle 9A of the wheel is carried by bearing blocks 93 which are slidably mounted in webs formed in the chassis. This floating feature is provided to cause the Wheel to remain in rolling contact with the track during movement of the vehicle over any irregularities in the surface of the ground. The wheel 9 being frictionally driven by the track operates by means of a flexible shaft I l and gears ii, a pair of pointers I3 disposed on opposite sides of a standard It in cooperation with dials l5 carried by the standard. Another shaft I6 extends upwardly from the gear assembly [2- to drive through gears ll another pair of pointers 18 in cooperation with dials l9 to indicate yardage. As the machine moves to the right or left I may selectively impart rotation to all the point-- ers in the proper direction by means of a reversing mechanism generally indicated at 20. I may also re-set the pointers to 0 if desired by any well known means. The driving wheels 1 are provided with any approved type of foot brake 2| within convenient reach from the operators seat 22 so that the vehicle maybe stopped abruptly at any desired location.

In order to break the electrical circuit to the motor 3 at the instant the brake 2| is applied and independent of the switch 4, I provide a switch actuated bythe brake pedal. The switch consists of a stationary contact 2 QA cooperating witha movable contact 2 IB carried by a spring urged bell-crank 21C pivotally mounted as at ZID, and whose one leg is in the path of movement of the brake pedal so that as the pedal is depressed to apply the brakes the contacts will be separated and the motor circuit broken. Adjustably mounted to the column 23 that supports the switch 4 is a post 24 upon which is adjustably mounted in a vertical plane a scope sight of the cross-hair type as indicated at 25, which may be adiusted to any level desired by the operator, the post 24 being locked in any vertical adjusted position by means of the thumb screw 24. Rotatably mounted upon the standard 14 is a post 25 whose upper end carries a signal 21 of square formation and on each of whose sides is a numeral indicating the number of downs.

As shown in Figure 3 the operator of the vehicle as shown in full lines spots the ball at the beginning of the play and as the ball moves the vehicle moves along the track into a position as shown in dotted lines Where the operator can ac- 3 curately spot the ball. During this space of travel the number of yards are accurately indicated on the dials as aforesaid.

Typical operation of the machine during a portion of a game of football, is as follows:

As the ball is kicked off, the operator stations the machine near the opposite 20 yard line, and. operates the machine either right or left. following the returnofthe' ba'll, until itt-is downed, at which point the operatbrli'ies in the-nose of theball with the scope, moving the machine either left or right, as may be necessary, and sets the; pointers at zero or ten, depending: on theidirection of travel of the ball. At the: and oil each play, he lines in the forward nose ofthe ball, with the scope, by running the machine intozposition; and sighting through the scopeiuntiltheivertical wire is in line with the forward'nose of the ball, and the gauges accurately show the distancare maining to a first down. Should there be a pendistanceaassessed; ,whether. from; the: point oftherfoul: or fIOm:thflr-p CSitiOI1:Of the-ball. whenthe last previous-play started the operator isnotifledzof the penalty;distance-andsdirection bythe. head; linesman; and; after lining; in the point where: thepenalty; distance; begins runs the mal-- chine; the: required. distance as indicated: by" the, gauges; Ataalhtimesgthemperatot holds his= osi.- tibn; at the? point where.- the: ball: Was-last put in play untilxthenew' play is completed and- 118215, signalled; to move;, thus taking. care of a situa tioniwhere'aiplay iszcalledback:

While-I have showma particular form. ofem.- budimentl of my invention; L am .awa-ret-that many;- minor changes therein will.- readily suggest"; theme salvessto others skiiled inrtherarttwithouti depart-e ing; from the; spirit:- and sconce of the-'- invention;

Having thus described the; invention; what I claim; as new and: desire: to: protect; by Letters Patent is:

i A-,mahine-of thw class. described comprise ina; a} chassis supported by; a: plurality: of; ground; engaging wheels;.a: reversibleeiectric motor sup ponted by the chassis and operatively; connected with; certain 0t said; wheels; a; switch for con! trolling; thesopera-tiomofl said motor; a wheehrotatably; supported: on. anz axle having? a-- vertical floating support in said chassis saidiwheelihavinz: rolling; contaot' with a track. disposed' parallel in a. playinggfield a braking; mechanism 355081!" atedzwith certain of said: ground= engaging; wheels andzoperablebyra brake pedal; a, second switch; operable: by i said brakeapedal -f0r. breakin githe ;-cir;-

cuit to the motor upon applying the brakes by downward movement of the brake pedal, 8. plurality of indicator dials supported by said chassis, a plurality of pointers associated with the dials, a flexible power transmission means between said floating wheel and said pointers for rotating the pointers in clockwise or anti-clockwise directions with respect to the dials upon movement of the chassisiinifomard or menac directions; and a. scope si'ghtventically adjumlysupported on the chassis and having its axis at right angles to the line of travel of the chassis, whereby an object on a, playing: field may. be aligned with the scope atbthevbeginninggofa play and followed by the machine to the endof the play whereupon the object-iszagaimsiglited and the distance traveled by the machine and. the object is accurately indicat'edon saiddials':

:.Atmachine of the class described comprising a chassis supported by a plurality of ground engaging:- wheels, am electricimotor supported by thei chassis. and operatively connectedto. certain. ofxsaidlwheelsefon driving same,- atwheel-rotatably supported. by the: chassis. and. having, vertical floating movement. relative: thereto a-track an, posed. paraleli. to a playing, field, with. whichtsaid floating wheelthasrollingt cclntmt. aaplumlitw indicating,- dials supported. by; the. chassis,, a pine rality of pointers associated. with the dials,a a

, flexible drive: connection. between said: floating wheel:. and. said pointers an. opexator si seat mounted on: the chassis, a switch supportedibyi the. chassissadjacent.said-sestifor. oontmllmg-isaidi moton, a braking. mechanism for: certain. of said ground. engaging. wheels, a-,-brakepeda1 forlactu-r ating, said braking; mechanism;. in normally closed. switch operable by saidipedal fon breaking; tha' electric circuit. to said .motor;, and: a SOODEr-Silht supportedibyrsaid chassistabovetsaideseat.

' CLINTQNLEiRQYJDARR/A REFERENCES omen fullowing references are: ofi recordt the flle of this patent:

UNITED 'STKI'ES? PATENTS Number Name. Date;

621x628: Woedsi Mar..7;, L895 738,167 Day .Sept'. 8,.19i13L 918,402 Vorreiter N... Am: 13,-, 1909 1 313,805 More -a M June18,. 1929 2,285,723 Kerrigan- ..c June 9,, L942 

